On January 4, our parent company Wine Communications Group announced the merger of Wines & Vines with Practical Winery & Vineyard Journal. As reported, Winter 2013 is the final PWV issue to be published independently. Beginning with the April issue, the editorial content of Practical Winery & Vineyard will appear in a special section within each monthly print edition of Wines & Vines, in its digital editions and on its website.

Don Neel has been the publisher/editor of Practical Winery & Vineyard Journal for 32 years. With a journalist's eye, he has traveled to many wine regions searching for story leads, and he will continue to bring high standards to the articles that typically undergo peer review prior to print. Join us in wishing Don and his staff the best of luck in the new transition.

In case you missed it, Don wrote a letter to subscribers in the Winter 2013 Journal explaining his magazine's new format and the benefits of the transition to readers. Read Don's letter in full here; a few points from Don are noted below.

"As a subscriber you will still receive the same quantity and quality of information and advice on grapegrowing and winemaking topics that you have come to expect. In addition, Wines & Vines readers will benefit from the insights of the respected researchers and industry columnists in viticulture and enology that I have worked with for many years.

"The merger increases the audience for PWV editorial content, because of Wines & Vines’ larger circulation in print and digital formats. Plus, PWV readers, for the first time, will find PWV article archives published in full, online. To start with, the Journals (2011 and 2012) will be searchable online in April when the first edition of the merged magazines launches. This is a capability you have requested for some time."